THE EFFECT OF CARBON-BLACK FILLING ON THE PYROLYSIS BEHAVIOR OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC RUBBERS

Natural rubber and synthetic styrene butadiene rubber of known formula tions with and without carbon filler were analyzed by pyrolysis Fourie r transform-infrared spectroscopy (Py-IR), pyrolysis-gas chromatograph y/flame ionization detection (Py-GC) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to determine the effect, if any, of the p resence of carbon fillers on the pyrolysis behavior. Carbon black did not affect the qualitative results. We demonstrated that Py-IR and Py- GC are rapid and reliable methods for the identification of the polyme r used in commercial carbon-filled elastomers, with no interference fr om the carbon filler.